The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-12-28
PASTIMES.
An Increased interest in Roller
Skating-The Newest
Wrinkle. ~
Base. Ball and Other Sports-Bruiser
Sullivan Among the
English.
[cHIcAao ooRREsPoNDEScE.l

[CHICAGo CORRESPONDENCE
There has been much of interest trans
piring in the sporting world daring the past
week, not only in base bali circles, but in
athletic and turf circles as well. The leg
isative work in base ball circles has been
of the most important character. and deals
by ten big clubs for crack ball players in
all positions have been ON the carpet almost
without intermission. The principal op4 was
that by which the Brooklyn Club secured
control of Bob Caruthers, the crack
pitcher of the st. Louis Club. 1t is stated
that $500 was paid for his release, and1
that his salary for next season with
Brooklyn will be $500. The Indian
apolis Club has finally secured possession
of Paul Hines of TIE Washington club,
and he will play WITH the Hoosier team
next year. Dunlap still remains with De-
troit, the deal entered into by Pittsburgh
for his services seeming to have fallen
through. Clarkson and Pfeffer still re-
main silent as to their intentions for next
season. Whether or not they will play
with the Chicago club in 1888 remains .
question.
The American Association clubs have
decided to charge fifty cents admission
next season instead of twenty-five cents,
as in seasons past.
II is still undecided as to what club will
fill the vacancy IN the Association ciroRlt
left open by the retirement of tho Met o.
politans, although it is said that MiiwaP-
kee, Buffalo. or Newark, n. j., may havs
the place if they want it.
The new Western leagues prospects for
a successful season next year are brighten
ting some good teams together. and 1t 10
likely that the young organization will put
mp some excellent games OF ball.
ATHLETICS.
The newspapers of the country continue
to TEEN with news Of John l.. SulliNAp's
great ovation by the English and Irish peo-
pie in those countries. and during the past
month has awakened an interest In sparring
and boxing contests equal to that which
overspread the country when the "sreat"
Sullivan made his appearance in 1882.
Eminent writer's have taken up the sub
ject from health standpoint, and among
those who in years gone by have looked upon
sparring contests with abhorrence as the
recommend il as as an unequaled method
of exercise for physical development. One
of the most recent a, ticies of the kind is
that from the pen of John BOYLE O'Reilly,
the poet-athlete, who says of Sullivan:
His success Is not wholly attributable to his
phenomenal strength. He is the most skillful
boxer alive. He hits as straight and almost as
rapidly as light There is always freshness
ana variety in his blows. He stands firmly on
his feet, and strikes with his whole weight ev-
cry motion is quick and with purpose Lastly,
he begins to fight at the first movement. He
bewilders his opponent by the ince ssant rapid
ity Of his blows md their sledgehammer force.
Kilra n is ranked next to Sullivan by Mr..
O'Reilly. He is a superb pugilist. but
makes the mistake of beginning fight by
sparring instead of fighting. The art Of
boxing, apart from prize fighting, is Of
inestimable value as q means of training,
development, and discipline of boys and
young men. Every faculty Of the body is
brought into play, and the mind is natural
~ strengthened and invigorated by improy.
ing its physical environments.
WINTER PAsTIMEs.
Tobogganing, roller skating, and gym
nasium work are receiving their full share
of patronage and attention ut the nands -
young men and women III the great clties
like Chica, and New York. Toboggan
slides in New York, New Jersey, and
throughout the New England States are in
full blast, and while the weather in the
Northwest has not yet been as favorable as
could lie wished, the sport is well under
way in Chicago and vicinity. During the
approaching winter carnival managers at
ST. Paul and Montreal will refer to their
toboggan scenes as the most attractive to be
witnessed there this year as well as in
seasons past.
The old pastime OF roller skating seems
to have taken unto itself q new Interest in
big centers, such as Boston, Philadelphia
and Chicago. Each of these cities has
one or two first-cass Kinks, and not before
in the history of roEer skating has the
class of their patronage been Of SO high
grade. Three nights III the week
the magnificent surface of the Casino
Rink in Chicago-one Of the few insti-
tutions Of its kind left standing
in the VESTS covered with hundreds OF
the leading young people Of this wealthy
city. The latest freak of roller-skating
devotees is that of organizing into skating
clubs, each club having its regular nights
for q club meet, and each club adopting
some gay colored and tastely designed cos
tune, in which all members appear. When
one of these cuts, embracing seventy-five
or q hundred members, take possession OF
the floor, clad in richly colored skating
costumes, the enect Is Brlillant ana en-
livening beyond description.
The approach of the annual entertaiA
ments of the big amateur athletic organiza-
tons and gymnasiums throughout the
country, and the character of the programs
they are preparing, embracing wrestling
and sparring contests, parallel and hori-
yontal bar work, Indian club and dumb
bell competitions. jumping, 1eaping, lad
der work, hand ball, and Enx lish racquet
contests. shows the rapidly increasing
popularity or gymnasium exercise
among the young men OF this country.
The spirit of interstate and even inteina-
tional competitions seems to be growing,
and while baseball will ever he an absorb
ingly interesting game for Americans, am
ateur interstate foot ball, polo. tug Of war,
wrestling. sparring, and all-around athletic
contests between repres- NATIVE teams or
prominent athletic organizations in the diff
ferent States, or even between tbo-e OF this
country and England and Canada, promise
to spring into early and rapidly developing
popularity.
IN GENERAL.
A seven-foot Star toboggan, owned by
Harry Palmer, of Chicago, last week trav-
eled 1850 feet In lat seconds.
The game of base ball with dice, intro